Smash the Box – Nix the Naysayers!
At one point in your youth, you made a face and someone warned you: “be careful, you will stay like that!”
Look in the mirror. Do your eyes cross, your tongue hang out, or do your lips curl abnormally? I don’t believe it.
Did your art teacher ever tell you in elementary school that your creation was wrong because it didn’t match her idea of the subject you were depicting in your masterpiece? How can art be wrong?
Unfortunately, the naysayers of our youth continue to tsk-tsk creative expression into our adulthood. And in the business world, if you’re not creating, you’re stuck in a stagnant pool. Without risk, there is no possibility of reward. Without challenge, we do not learn. When we never explore the possibilities, we deny ourselves something better.
Too often, you’ve heard the tired cliché, “Think outside the box.” Be creative. Push that envelope of conventionality. It’s a great concept, but in reality, most people hang around the perimeter of the box, using it as a base. It’s like the umbilical cord that tethers the astronaut floating in space to his spaceship, the retractable leash that gives the dog a slight sense of freedom. It is a connection to security.
The detractors are the ones who hold that leash. They cast doubt on the creations of others, injecting you with the “what if?” ask. They’ll tell you that your new idea won’t work, it can’t happen, the cost is too high, the quality is too low, the time is too long (or too short), and the resources aren’t available. They will advise “why” his plan has no legs, but then they will make no effort to offer you an alternative.
Negative thinkers fear change and risk. They sit in judgment of creative thinkers – a poor jury as they lack the ability to dream like you do! They maintain the innate sense that someone will surpass them. What they don’t realize is that they have placed themselves in mediocrity because they are cloistered in the proverbial box.
The legendary storyteller Washington Irving once said: “”Small minds reach out and are subdued by misfortunes; but great minds rise above them.”
Cartoonist George Schultz created Peanuts’ ill-fated character Charlie Brown, who, in contrast to his sad nature, was the epitome of positive thinking. Despite the countless times her nemesis Lucy tugged at the soccer ball just as she was about to kick it, he believed that she would be the one this time! Schultz advised: “The moment you start talking about what you’re going to do if you lose, you’ve lost.”
Nix the detractors. They can infect your company with an ugly virus, casting doubt and negativity on your coworkers. Shut them off from your creative thinking. Don’t let negative minds get in the way of your progressive vision. Conceived. Create. Reflect. See obstacles as opportunities to improve and grow. If your sales are stagnating, take a closer look at what your customers might want and find a way to exceed those expectations. The solution will most likely come in the form of something you haven’t tried before. Maybe it’s a new service to add (internally or outsourced). Perhaps your customers have been lulled into a dreamless sleep by the constant onslaught of the same old pitches. Wake them up with a new idea! What have you wanted to try for a long time but never did? We all have a wish list stored in our mind.
What will be the catalyst to galvanize others? Let me give you a hint: it’s not a price reduction. The discount is a short-term solution because price-sensitive buyers are fickle. As soon as someone brings you down by a few cents, your customer moves on to the next bidder.
Your success will come from creative thinking. What can I do today to excite my customers? How can I recharge my staff? If I could, what would I change about my company?
Gather a few of your best creative thinkers in a room and give each of them a sketch pad with the words “What if?” in that. Set ground rules. You can only offer a comment if you can accompany it with an alternative.
Brainstorm with your team of positive thinkers. Write down each idea that comes up. Winner of two Nobel Prizes, Dr. Linus Pauling said, “The way to have good ideas is to have lots of ideas and throw out the bad ones.”
Think of enough ideas and you’re sure to find a great one! Don’t let the naysayers stop you. Cut the cord and explore a new frontier!